Troubleshooting and Global Support. Advanced Energy Rapid F 6kW
The Rapid F 6kW Remote Plasma Source is a compact and easy-to-mount combination plasma source and integrated mid-frequency (~400 kHz) 6 kW generator. It provides flexibility and control of a wide range of reactive plasma chemistries at a number of critical points within the process stream. The Rapid F 6kW plasma source is inductively-coupled, with a closed-path, water-cooled metal manifold in which induced plasma currents act as a single-turn secondary to a ferrite-core transformer.
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source
Troubleshooting and Global
Support
This chapter provides information on diagnosing and resolving problems with the unit. It also gives contact information for Global Support.
Note: You can also troubleshoot the Rapid F 6 kW plasma source using AE’s Virtual
Front Panel (VFP) software interface. For more information about VFP, see
“Virtual Front Panel (VFP) Software Interface” on page 4-20.
6
Do not attempt to disassemble, re-work, or perform repairs on the vacuum housing of the source as it is integrated with the power supply.
Doing so could invalidate any warranty associated with this product or cause damage to the power supply or vacuum source components.
BEFORE CALLING AE CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Before calling AE Customer Support, perform the following steps or procedures.
RISK OF DEATH OR BODILY INJURY. Disconnect and lockout/tagout all sources of input power before working on this unit or anything connected to it.
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Process gas flows must be shut off, disconnected, and disabled (that is, locked out/tagged out), and the source must be purged of all process gases before working on this device or anything connected to it.
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Advanced Energy
®
There are no user serviceable parts or components associated with this product. Contact AE for any service issues related to the unit.
Checks With Input Power Off
The following section provides steps for checking the unit’s operation with the power off and the unit installed on a working vacuum system.
1. Ensure that the power to the unit is off.
2. Check that the unit is securely mounted to the vacuum chamber and is under vacuum.
3. Check the operation of flow controller, pressure controllers, throttle valves, and all associated auxiliary vacuum equipment that is required for the unit to run.
4. Perform leak checks or leak-back rate checks on the Rapid F 6 kW plasma source installation to see if the unit has been installed properly on the vacuum chamber.
5. Check for external damage to the unit, power cable, and control connectors.
6. Check to determine whether any system-related circuit breakers have been tripped.
7. Ensure the input power meets specifications and, in particular, that all three phases are present.
8. Check that the input line connectors are properly attached to the unit.
9. Verify that ground connections are adequate and secure.
10. Ensure that the cooling water to the unit meets specifications (in terms of flow, temperature, contaminant levels, and conductivity.)
Checks With Input Power On
The following section provides steps for checking the unit’s operation with the power on.
Note: You can also troubleshoot the Rapid F 6 kW plasma source using AE’s Virtual
Front Panel (VFP) software interface. For more information about VFP, see
“Virtual Front Panel (VFP) Software Interface” on page 4-20.
1. Turn on input power.
2. After AC power is turned on, the unit cycles through a front panel test sequence on the status LEDs and alphanumeric display for approximately 60 seconds while
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source the internal bus capacitors charge. Verify that the unit performs this test while charging up.
3. Satisfy the interlock condition on the user (Analog Control) port by connecting
pins 13 and 25. See “User (Analog Control) Port” on page 4-1 for more
information about making this connection.
4. Verify that the INTERLOCK LED is illuminated. If the interlock condition is satisfied, the internal AC contactor closes in about 10 seconds. The AC POWER
LED turns on, indicating that the unit is ready to operate.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Troubleshooting the source’s operation may require that you investigate or make adjustments to elements of the process such as gas mixtures as well as flow and pressure dynamics. The dynamic impedance range of Rapid F 6 kW plasma source has limitations; therefore, not every operating pressure, gas chemistry, and power level can be satisfied. For instance, higher power will likely be required in order to sustain plasma at higher pressures when using pure or weakly diluted molecular gases. Also, you may find problems sustaining a plasma in the source when the response of flow/ pressure controllers leads to high pressure bursts when turning on or making transitions from low flow/pressure to high flow/pressure conditions. Such process integration work should be anticipated when applying the unit to any new or untested
process. See “Selecting Gas Mixtures, Gas Pressures, and Power Levels” in the
appendix for further information.
This source was designed for ignition in pure Ar gas. Direct ignition in other gases could lead to unsuccessful start-up of the source or to damage or shortened lifetime of the anodized walls within the device.
Contact AE for range of operation for direct ignition in molecular gas mixtures.
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Advanced Energy
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Error Code Troubleshooting Table
The Rapid F 6 kW plasma source displays an error code on the front display when an
error or fault occurs. Table 6-1 defines these codes and provides procedures to resolve
the faults.
Note: The unit clears all faults and errors when it powers off. It reports a lifetime count of errors and faults through AE Bus command 220 (saved in nonvolatile memory). AE Bus command 212 reports the most recent error code (the unit erases this information when it powers off).
Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table
Error Code
Number and
Message
E03
Thermal limit exceeded
Problem Indicated
The source is inadequately cooled, causing thermal switches associated with the vacuum housing and electronics cold plate to open and shut off the delivery of power to the plasma source.
E04
Internal fan fault
The convective cooling fan inside source chassis has failed.
Suggested Action
To resolve this fault:
1. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
2. Check cooling water flow and local environmental temperature and adjust to regulate the unit to working temperatures.
If this error code persists after completing the previous steps, contact AE Global
Customer Support” on page 6-10).
Contact AE Global Support.
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source
Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table (Continued)
Error Code
Number and
Message
E05
Bus AC undervoltage fault
E06
Bus AC overvoltage fault
E07
Plasma ignition failure
Problem Indicated
Facility AC power to the bus is too far below its nominal working limits.
Facility AC power to the Bus is above the unit’s nominal working limits.
The source has failed to ignite a discharge.
Upon any attempt to ignite the source, if the power readback is less than 1500 W for the first 5 s, the E07 fault will be displayed.
Note: This fault is only associated with the inability to ignite a plasma. If the gas discharge extinguishes during typical run-time operation after the first 5 s of operation, the
“E24” fault will appear on the display.
Suggested Action
Check the line voltages on each phase coming in to the unit. Correct any abnormal condition. If you find no abnormalities and the error persists, contact AE Global
Customer Support” on page 6-10.)
Check the line voltages on each phase coming in to the unit. Correct any abnormal condition. If you find no abnormalities and the error persists, contact AE Global
Customer Support” on page 6-10.)
To resolve this fault:
1. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
2. Check for proper Ar flow and pressure conditions entering the source.
3. Verify that no molecular gases are leaking through the flow controllers or valves.
4. Restart your process. If this fault recurs, contact
AE Global Support. (See
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Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table (Continued)
Error Code
Number and
Message
E11
AE Bus (RS-232) port heart beat time-out fault
Problem Indicated
The RS-232 port time-out has been exceeded, and the unit has shut output off.
That is, the Rapid F 6 kW plasma source has not received a communication packet from the host computer in the time set with
AE Bus command 40 (see page 4-15 for a
description of this command).
E16
Bad ambient temperature thermistor
E19
Ambient overtemperature fault
This error code indicates a malfunction of the ambient temperature thermistor within the unit.
Ambient temperature of unit has exceeded
60ºC (140ºF).
Suggested Action
To resolve this problem:
1. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
2. Make sure that communication links
between the host computer and the plasma source are
properly connected. For installation information,
Auxiliary Connectors” on page 5-11.
3. Make sure that the host computer is sending communication packets at a rate that complies with the time-out set with AE Bus command
40. If it is not, change either the time-out value or the rate at which the host computer is sending communication packets.
Contact AE Global Support
contact information).
Allow the unit to cool (with the output off) to below 50ºC
(122ºF). Unit will reset when temperature returns to a level below 50ºC (122ºF). Make sure that all cooling requirements are met (see
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source
Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table (Continued)
Error Code
Number and
Message
E20
Duty cycle fault
Problem Indicated
The Rapid F 6 kW plasma source has a maximum duty cycle of 50%. As the unit runs, the duty cycle timer counts on and off time, adding a second to the timer for each second of on-time and subtracting a second for each second of off-time. If the timer reaches 300 seconds (meaning that there have been 300 more seconds of otime than off-time, the unit shuts output off and activates the duty cycle error.
Suggested Action
To resolve this fault:
1. Wait 300 seconds for the condition to clear.
2. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
3. Adjust the process times to avoid the error.
4. Restart the process.
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Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table (Continued)
Error Code
Number and
Message
E21
Current limit fault
Problem Indicated
This error code has two states:
When flashing, this error code indicates that the unit is operating at the current limit, which is normal during ignition. A flashing E21 does not indicate a fault; the flashing should stop after ignition and transition to regular process gases.
When on steady, this error code indicates that the unit has exceeded the software current limit by 20 A for more than 90 seconds or that it has exceeded a maximum current limit duty cycle of 23% and turned output off. The unit calculates current by dividing delivered power by single-turn voltage. Both values are available through the AE Bus (RS-232) port or VFP software (see Chapter 4).
The software current limit is 80 A. The hardware current limit is 100 A. Use the following equation to calculate the maximum time that the unit can operate at the current limit before generating a steady
E21 fault:
Time (s) = 1800 / (current [A] - 80)
Use the following equation to calculate the maximum current limit duty cycle:
Duty cycle (%) = 600 / (current [A] - 74)
The following table displays examples of maximum current, time, and duty cycles.
Suggested Action
To resolve this fault:
1. Wait 300 seconds for the condition to clear.
2. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
3. Make process adjustments as suggested in the following paragraph.
The following conditions may contribute to this fault.
To resolve the problem, make the necessary process adjustments.
• Plasma pressure may be too low
• There may be too much argon in the mixture
• The argon mass flow controller may be leaking
Maximum
Current (A)
Maximum
Time (s)
Max Current Limit
Duty Cycle (%)
100
95
90
120
23.1
28.6
90
85
180
360
37.5
54.5
1
1. RF-on duty cycle is limited to 50%
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Table 6-1. Error code troubleshooting table (Continued)
Error Code
Number and
Message
E24
Plasma wink-out fault
Problem Indicated
After the first 5 seconds of operation, the unit monitors the delivered power level. A power level below 1500 W activates this fault and the unit turns output off.
Suggested Action
To resolve this fault:
1. Send an RF off command or reset the user port PLASMA ON
ENABLE signal to clear the fault.
2. Make process adjustments as suggested in the following paragraph.
The following conditions may contribute to this fault.
To resolve the problem, make the necessary process adjustments.
• Gas pressure may be too high (causing excessively high voltage)
• Gas pressure or flow may be fluctuating
• Power set point may be too low for the plasma pressure
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AE GLOBAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Please contact one of the following offices if you have questions:
Table 6-2. Global Customer Support locations
Office
AE, World Headquarters
1625 Sharp Point Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525 USA
Contact
Phone (24 hrs/day, 7 days/week):
800.446.9167 or
970.221.0108
Fax (M–F, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm MST):
970.407.5981
Note: For returns and repairs, please call Global
Customer Support to get the correct shipping address.
Email: [email protected]
(We will respond to email by the next business day.)
AE, GmbH
Note: For customers outside the US, please contact your local AE office.
Phone: 49.711.779270
Fax: 49.711.7778700
Raiffeisenstrasse 32
70794 Filderstadt
(Bonlanden) Germany
AE, Japan KK
TOWA Edogawabashi Bldg. 347
Yamabuki-cho Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 162-0801 Japan
AE, Korea Ltd.
Phone: 81.3.32351511
Fax: 81.3.32353580
Phone: 82.31.705.2100
Fax: 82.31.705.2766
Gongduk Building, 4th floor
272-6 Seohyun-Dong,
Bundang-Gu, Seongnam-Si
Kyunggi, 463-050 Korea
AE, United Kingdom
Unit 5, Minton Place,
Market Court, Victoria Road
Bicester, Oxon OX26 6QB UK
Phone: 44.1869.320022
Fax: 44.1869.325004
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source
Table 6-2. Global Customer Support locations (Continued)
Office
AE, Taiwan, Ltd.
Contact
Phone: 886.2.82215599
10F-6, No. 110, Chung Shan Rd.
Sec. 3, Chungho City, Taipei
Hsien
Taiwan 235
AE China
Fax: 886.2.82215050
Phone: 86.21.58579011
469 Huaxia Dong Road
Zhangjiang Town
Shanghai, China 201203
Fax: 86.21.58579003
RETURNING UNITS FOR REPAIR
Before returning any product for repair and/or adjustment, first follow all
troubleshooting procedures. If, after following these procedures, you still have a problem or if the procedure instructs you to, call AE Customer Support and discuss the problem with a representative. Be prepared to give the model number and serial number of the unit as well as the reason for the proposed return. This consultation call allows Customer Support to determine whether the problem can be corrected in the field or if the unit needs to be returned. Such technical consultation is always available at no charge.
If you return a unit without first getting authorization from Customer Support and that unit is found to be functional, you will be charged a re-test and calibration fee plus shipping charges.
To ensure years of dependable service, Advanced Energy
®
products are thoroughly tested and designed to be among the most reliable and highest quality systems available worldwide.
WARRANTY
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Advanced Energy
®
(AE) products are warranted to be free from failures due to defects in material and workmanship for 12 months after they are shipped from the factory
(please see warranty statement below, for details).
In order to claim shipping or handling damage, you must inspect the delivered goods and report such damage to AE within 30 days of your receipt of the goods. Please note that failing to report any damage within this period is the same as acknowledging that the goods were received undamaged.
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Advanced Energy
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For a warranty claim to be valid, it must:
• Be made within the applicable warranty period
• Include the product serial number and a full description of the circumstances giving rise to the claim
• Have been assigned a return material authorization number (see below) by AE
Customer Support
All warranty work will be performed at an authorized AE service center (see list of contacts at the beginning of this chapter). You are responsible for obtaining authorization (see details below) to return any defective units, prepaying the freight costs, and ensuring that the units are returned to an authorized AE service center. AE will return the repaired unit (freight prepaid) to you by second-day air shipment (or ground carrier for local returns); repair parts and labor will be provided free of charge.
Whoever ships the unit (either you or AE) is responsible for properly packaging and adequately insuring the unit.
Authorized Returns
Before returning any product for repair and/or adjustment, call AE Customer Support and discuss the problem with them. Be prepared to give them the model number and serial number of the unit as well as the reason for the proposed return. This consultation call will allow Customer Support to determine if the unit must actually be returned for the problem to be corrected. Such technical consultation is always available at no charge.
Units that are returned without authorization from AE Customer Support and that are found to be functional will not be covered under the warranty (see warranty statement, below). That is, you will have to pay a retest and calibration fee, and all shipping charges.
Warranty Statement
The seller makes no express or implied warranty that the goods are merchantable or fit for any particular purpose except as specifically stated in printed AE specifications. The sole responsibility of the Seller shall be that it will manufacture the goods in accordance with its published specifications and that the goods will be free from defects in material and workmanship. The seller's liability for breach of an expressed warranty shall exist only if the goods are installed, started in operation, and tested in conformity with the seller's published instructions. The seller expressly excludes any warranty whatsoever concerning goods that have been subject to misuse, negligence, or accident, or that have been altered or repaired by anyone other than the seller or the seller's duly authorized agent. This warranty is expressly made in lieu of any and all other warranties, express or implied, unless otherwise agreed to in writing. The
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Rapid™ F 6 kW Remote Plasma Source
warranty period is 12 months after the date the goods are shipped from AE. In all cases, the seller has sole responsibility for determining the cause and nature of the failure, and the seller's determination with regard thereto shall be final.
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Key features
- Compact and easy-to-mount
- Inductively-coupled
- Closed-path, water-cooled metal manifold
- Integrated mid-frequency (~400 kHz) 6 kW generator
- Provides flexibility and control of a wide range of reactive plasma chemistries
- 25-pin user (Analog Control) port
- 9-pin AE Bus (RS-232) port
- Internal AC line filter
- User-interlocked contactor